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BAN22377

August 22, 2017/by sahcadmin

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https://appalachian.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-LogoUpdate_SingleHiker-300x300.png 0 0 sahcadmin https://appalachian.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-LogoUpdate_SingleHiker-300x300.png sahcadmin2017-08-22 17:11:562017-08-22 17:11:56BAN22377

appalachian_org

Protecting plant & animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places to enjoy outdoor recreation in NC & TN.
Looking for a fun way to cool off this summer? Jo Looking for a fun way to cool off this summer? Join SAHC for a short hike, swim, and picnic at Blue Hole Falls in Elizabethton, TN on Friday, August 21st! This very short trail leads to a beautiful natural waterfall and swimming hole. Bring your own lunch to enjoy after a morning of swimming! ☀️🤿 Registration required! Sign up using the link in our bio 🔗
⚠️ Bull Creek Preserve Trail Update ⚠️ Starting t ⚠️ Bull Creek Preserve Trail Update ⚠️ Starting today, the trails at Bull Creek Preserve may be impacted by road repair and debris cleanup as part of ongoing Hurricane Helene recovery work in partnership with the Emergency Forest Restoration Program. We apologize for any inconvenience and ask that you please do not touch equipment or hike on closed trails at this time.
We're hiring 🔎⛺🌲🌟 SAHC is looking for a Preserves We're hiring 🔎⛺🌲🌟 SAHC is looking for a Preserves & Facilities Manager to care for the cabins, campsites, pavilions, and grounds across our preserves, ensuring every visitor feel welcome on the land we protect. If you're great at keeping properties humming, juggling projects, and working with contractors and community partners, we'd love to hear from you. Full-time, based in Asheville. Full posting + how to apply at the link in our bio. Position open until filled. #Hiring #AshevilleJobs #ConservationJobs #NonprofitJobs #WNC #LandTrust
Join Lisa Fierman, North Carolina Artemis Sportswo Join Lisa Fierman, North Carolina Artemis Sportswomen Ambassador, for a virtual learning experience on Wednesday, July 29 at 12 pm Eastern! We invite you to learn more about the relationship between hunting and conservation and the tenets of an ethical hunter. This presentation includes an overview of the skills and knowledge it takes to become a successful deer hunter. Lisa will share tips, insights, and wild game recipes from her years of personal experience as an adult-onset hunter. 🍽️ Lunch & Learn: Intro to Deer Hunting with Artemis Sportswomen 🗓️ Wednesday, July 29 ⏰ 12:00 pm EST 💬 Submit questions when you register 🎥 Can’t join live? Register anyway, the recording will be emailed to all registrants w/ resources discussed @artemis_sportswomen is an official program of @nationalwildlife and invests in the long-term health and vitality of the sporting world by advancing women’s leadership. By investing in sportswomen’s communities, skills, and leadership, Artemis continues to create an intergenerational cohort of outdoors leaders and champions for hunting and angling. Artemis is dedicated to creating lasting positive impact on sporting and the outdoors, and the land, water, and wildlife upon which we all depend. This Lunch & Learn will be accompanied by a free, in-person deer scouting event on Saturday, August 1 at 7 am at Bent Creek Experimental Forest in Asheville, NC. More details and registration information are in your webinar confirmation email and linked in bio.
Stretch, breath, and connect with us at the @sahcc Stretch, breath, and connect with us at the @sahccommunityfarm! 🔸Gentle Flow Yoga 🔸Friday, July 24, 8 to 9 am 🔸180 Mag Sluder Rd, Alexander, NC 🔸Bring your own mat 🔸Free for SAHC Members, $10 for Non-members 🔸Registration required! Link in bio 🔗
We need YOUR help on Grassy Ridge! The Grassy Ri We need YOUR help on Grassy Ridge! The Grassy Ridge Mow-Off Volunteer Work Weekend is Saturday, August 15 – Sunday, August 16 🙌 Join other volunteers as we work to maintain the globally rare grassy and shrub balds, one of the most beautiful and ecologically significant sites in the Roan Highlands. We’ll cut invasive blackberries and other shrubs using weed whackers and brush cutters. Enjoy great company and the satisfaction of participating in crucial conservation work! Overnight campers and day trippers are both welcome. The hike to Grassy Ridge is about 2.5 miles one way gaining 650 feet in elevation, the views are gorgeous, and we have a job suited to almost everyone. There are several different ways to help: cutting or raking blackberries, organizing camp, taking photographs, and more. Register today at the link in our bio! 🌾 Photo credit: @travis_bordley_photography
Make a gift TODAY and DOUBLE your impact, thanks t Make a gift TODAY and DOUBLE your impact, thanks to a generous matching gift from The Biltmore Company @biltmoreestate 🙌🥳💝 In June every dollar donated, up to $25,000, will be matched to support SAHC’s conservation mission, protecting the mountains, farms, and waterways of East TN and Western NC ⛰️🚜🌲🌻🌊 When you donate any amount to SAHC you become a “member”, joining a community protecting the vulnerable and ecologically significant landscapes of the Southern Appalachian region. Members receive two printed newsletters a year, free guided hikes and outings, and special invitations to fun, educational, and unique events. Visit Appalachian.org/givenow or the link in our bio and make a gift by midnight Tuesday, June 30 to qualify for Biltmore’s challenge match! #conservation #biltmore #biltmoreestate #philanthropymatters #appalachia
For the second time in the past five years, SAHC i For the second time in the past five years, SAHC is helping @roanmountainstatepark get a little bigger! 🎉🎊🙌 This month, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased 103 acres in Carter County, TN adjacent to Roan Mountain State Park. The Park’s Chestnut Ridge Trail runs along the boundary of the newly conserved property. SAHC will own the tract for the short term, until it can be transferred to TN State Parks and added to RMSP. The cabin could possibly serve as future park employee housing! The tract is shaped like a bowl and contains the headwaters of Smith Branch, a tributary of the Doe River. This stream is classified as a TN Exceptional Water and has recorded occurrences of the Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), which is currently proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The property contains prime bird habitat and has records of rare species, including the Roan Mountain Sedge (Carex roanensis), American Bittercress (Cardamine rotundifolia), and the Blue Ridge Brome-like sedge (Carex bromoides spp montanium). The protection and transfer of land like this is made possible by SAHC’s generous members and creative solutions for land protection. For this project, that included a significant bridge loan, which will be repaid when the property is transferred to TN State Parks. If you’d like to see more work like this, consider becoming a member today through a gift of any size or getting involved through volunteering! Visit Appalachian.org/membership to learn more. In celebration of the project closing, SAHC held the 2026 June Jamboree post-hike social at the Smith Branch property on Saturday, June 13. We hope you enjoy pictures from this special, annual event. Special thanks to Connor from @thehillclimbers for playing music 🎶 🎤
It’s live 📰‼️ Our biannual newsletter, View from It’s live 📰‼️ Our biannual newsletter, View from the Highlands, is available online now! Check the link in our bio to read all about recent land protection projects, stewardship stories, and more. For our members eagerly awaiting the printed magazine-style copy, it’s at the printer now and will be coming your way soon. Support from our members, through donations and volunteered time, makes all of this work possible! Photo credits and descriptions: Slide 1 - Mike Potter, Carolinas Nature Photographers Association Slide 2 - Travis Bordley @travis_bordley_photography Slide 4 - Buncombe County and Travis Bordley Slide 6 - Controlled burn at Bowditch Bottoms Preserve and new signage at the @sahccommunityfarm Slide 7 - Highland Coos at the @sahccommunityfarm and bee balm by Travis Bordley
Get outside with us on Saturday, June 6 for Nation Get outside with us on Saturday, June 6 for National Trails Day! 🚵🏼‍♀️ What: Mountain Bike Meet-Up 📍 Where: Chestnut Mountain Nature Park, Canton, NC 📅 When: Saturday, June 6 at 10 am 🌐 Register at the link in our bio or just show up! Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased the 450-acre Chestnut Mountain property in 2020 in an ambitious endeavor to pair permanent protection of habitat and water resources with creation of a conservation-friendly, community-centric space for outdoor recreation. SAHC transferred the property to the Town of Canton in 2022. In 2025, SAHC purchased a 4-acre property adjoining the Park to facilitate future park improvements and conduct a stream restoration project that lessens flooding impacts and strengthens regional resilience for future storms. SAHC plans to transfer the property to the Town of Canton when the stream restoration is complete. Thanks to local rider Andrew Giniat @supertukt for filming some action shots with us at the park! @sethsbikehacks @cantonnc.cares @experiencecantonnc @elevatedtraildesign @visithaywood #mtb #cantonnc #chestnutmountainnaturepark #mountainbike
206 more acres of farmland protected in Haywood Co 206 more acres of farmland protected in Haywood County 👩‍🌾🐔🚜🌿🌾 The Hawkins Farm Conservation Easement protects a beautiful family farm with expansive pastures, rich hardwood forest in Upper Crabtree, fertile bottomlands, and adjoins other SAHC conserved lands - adding to the protected landscape. Did you know North Carolina is projected to lose 1.2 million acres of farmland by 2040 due to development? The NC Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services has been working to combat this through the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation (ADFP) Trust Fund since 2006. SAHC works with the ADFP Trust Fund to preserve working lands, keeping our local farm communities thriving. For this project, we loved working with 4th generation farm owners Nedra Creson and Carla Melton and their father, Wayne Melton (slide 2). Learn more about their family history and connection to the land at the blog post linked in our bio 🔗 This land was protected thanks to an ADFP Trust Fund grant, generous contributions from SAHC’s members, donation of a portion of the conservation easement value by the landowners, and a grant from the Pigeon River Fund of the @cfwnc. We couldn’t do this amazing work without our supporters and partners! Special thank you to the Carolinas Nature Photographers Association for contributing photos for this story! 🤍 📸 Credits: Slide 1 - Gary Hurley Slide 2 - Kim Clayton Lance Slide 3 - Dennis Oakley and Kim Clayton Lance Slide 4 - Jenni Wooddy Slide 5 - Jenni Wooddy and Joe Zendegui Slide 6 - Kim Clayton Lance and Paul Bartels
Stewardship snaps! 📸 Our Stewardship Teams have be Stewardship snaps! 📸 Our Stewardship Teams have been out in the field monitoring conserved land - and yesterday they got to enjoy some lovely weather while doing so. Enjoy these pics of views and wildflowers from a monitoring visit in the Black and Craggy Mountains. 🌼 SAHC’s commitment to protecting land and water resources in perpetuity is fulfilled by the ongoing work of our dedicated land stewardship team.🙌🦉🌱💦🌳 Can you recognize some of these wildflower species? ❓If so, drop a comment! 💬
June Jamboree registration is NOW OPEN! Join us on June Jamboree registration is NOW OPEN! Join us on Saturday, June 13 for Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s annual celebration of outdoor recreation and conservation in the Highlands of Roan! We invite you to enjoy a day of free, guided outings in the iconic Roan landscape. Enjoy blooming rhododendron and gorgeous views as you explore and learn about these globally important ecosystems. This year, SAHC is hosting five concurrent outings in TN and NC — choose from challenging treks, nature journaling, or a simple stroll. SAHC’s 2026 June Jamboree Outings Include: - Roll n’ Stroll at Rhododendron Gardens - Birding at The Miller Farmstead (with Roan Mountain State Park) - Challenge Hike from Carver’s Gap to Hampton Creek Cove - Green Journaling Hike at SAHC’s Little Cove Creek Preserve - Spruce Restoration Walk and Talk at Cloudland Following the morning hikes and experiences, participants are invited to stay for an afternoon drop-in social from 1 to 4 pm in the vicinity of Roan Mountain State Park, where we will celebrate with live music, drinks, and snacks. All outings are FREE and open to the public, although we welcome donations to support SAHC’s ongoing work. Details and sign up at link in bio.
🐦 Tomorrow is the Big Day, and we’re honored to be 🐦 Tomorrow is the Big Day, and we’re honored to be a part of it! SAHC is proud to assist Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Team Sapsucker for their annual 24-hour birding marathon on May 9 @cornellbirds Our team heads into our local Southern Appalachian mountains while another group with @thewcs will be in the Maya Forest in Guatemala — two “sister landscapes” that share millions of the same migratory birds, including Wood Thrushes, Golden-winged Warblers, and Scarlet Tanagers. You can participate too! Step outside tomorrow, observe the birds around you, and log your sightings on eBird @team_ebird. Last year 1.7 million people spotted 7,900 species. This year the goal is 8,000, can you help us achieve that? 🌎 Join the world’s largest citizen science bird count: ebird.org/globalbigday 🐦 Learn more about team Sapsucker: dl.allaboutbirds.org/bigday2026 More resources and the above linked in our bio! #GlobalBigDay #BigDay2026 #TeamSapsucker #CornellLab #SouthernAppalachians eBird CitizenScience MigratoryBirds Conservation
Last week, we enjoyed two fantastic field visits t Last week, we enjoyed two fantastic field visits to SAHC-protected land with @cornellbirds Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Program Leader Sara Barker. 🙌 Together, we explored SAHC projects funded by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Small Grant Program - from high elevation habitat in the Highlands of Roan to the rolling hills of the SAHC Community Farm. Support from the program has enabled SAHC to implement bird-focused habitat management at both sites. 🌲 SAHC’s first small grant project in 2019 involved spruce habitat restoration at our Roan High Preserve, along with prescribed fire 🔥 and invasive plant control in the shortleaf pine stand on the SAHC Community Farm. In 2025, SAHC was awarded another small grant for more work in the Highlands of Roan — this time to address the devastating impacts of Tropical Storm Helene on the fragile high elevation habitat and reduce wildfire risk. 🗯️ “This grant program provides funding for land trusts to conduct on-the-ground habitat restoration and management activities that support a variety of bird species,” says SAHC Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett. “We are so grateful that Cornell Lab of Ornithology has committed to partner directly with land trusts, enabling stewardship and land protection staff who work in the landscape to advance habitat management and education initiatives that benefit birds.” 🪶🪺🦉 Photos courtesy Sara Barker/Cornell and SAHC.
Hikers, birders, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts Hikers, birders, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts have helped guide the mission of Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. Because of them, we know that when people connect to the outdoors in a tangible way, they derive healthy benefits and better understand the importance of conservation. 🌱🌍🌳 SAHC Board President Larry “Pender” Pender enjoys all types of outdoor recreation. Community Engagement and Education Manager LaKyla Hodges recently caught up with Pender for a Q&A interview 💬🎤 to learn more about his background and how he has remained engaged in the outdoors throughout his life. Pender grew up on a farm 🐐in eastern NC and credits his enduring connection to the land to his farm roots. He’s enjoyed a wide variety of outdoor activities – including horseback riding 🐎, kayaking 🛶, hiking 🥾, cycling 🚲, and more. “My favorite thing about Western NC is all the outdoor recreation opportunities,” says Pender. “If you want to have a long, healthy, less stressful life, get outdoors as often as you can. You don’t have to be a super athlete at it. Just go at your own pace.” Read more at link in bio. 📖
Join SAHC members and friends at Yee-Haw Brewing o Join SAHC members and friends at Yee-Haw Brewing on Wednesday, May 13 for a fun evening of environmental trivia focused on road ecology: the study of how roads, traffic, and transportation infrastructure impact natural environments. 📍 Yee-Haw Brewing, 126 Buffalo St., Johnson City, TN 37604 ⏰ 5 pm to 8 pm - Trivia starts at 6 ℹ️ RSVP in bio, but feel free to drop by! Spend time with your local conservation community and learn more about Smokies Safe Passage, one of SAHC’s critical partnerships focused on wildlife connectivity. You do not need to participate in trivia if you don’t want to! Annual donors and active volunteers are considered members of SAHC and form the foundation of our conservation work! Yee-Haw Brewing is located in the heart of downtown Johnson City, in the historic Tweetsie train station. In-house food options are available, as well as White Duck Taco Shop, which shares the space. Beer, wine, liquor, and non-alcoholic options are available. Well-behaved dogs are welcome at the venue. For questions or more info, feel free to reach out to Membership Director Cheryl Fowler at cheryl@appalachian.org.
It’s the year of the spruce for SAHC! 🌲 Find out w It’s the year of the spruce for SAHC! 🌲 Find out why we’re so excited about spruce habitat restoration this year – some good news to share 🎉 and celebrate for Earth Day 🌎 . We’re expanding on previous work in spruce habitat restoration, thanks to a grant from the @cornellbirds Cornell Lab of Ornithology Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative and support from The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees program. Swipe to learn more. ➡️
Huge thanks to the volunteer crew that came out ye Huge thanks to the volunteer crew that came out yesterday to help on SAHC’s Little Cove Creek preserve in the Highlands of Roan! 🙌👏 “This was a super fun and successful day,” shared Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett. “We welcomed several regular SAHC volunteers, and also some new folks from both TN and the Asheville/Candler area. We enjoyed a lovely day and spotted lots of wildflowers blooming!” 🌸🌞 Thank YOU for helping making a positive impact on the planet! 🌎🌱 #EarthMonth #ephemeralwildflowers #spring #volunteering #RoanHighlands
Ephemeral - fleeting, bright, and beautiful… Pocke Ephemeral - fleeting, bright, and beautiful… Pockets of lush woodlands across the Southern Appalachian erupt with flashes of vibrant color as ephemeral wildflowers bloom in early Spring. 🌱🌸These heralds of the growing season last just a scant few weeks but provide important sustenance for pollinators. Lovely ephemeral wildflowers have been recently spotted by our stewardship and outreach teams on SAHC preserves - including: - Virginia Bluebells - Bloodroot - Trout Lily - Great White Trillium - Red Trillium - Mayapple They also remind us to embrace and appreciate the miracle of living beings on our Earth - a small oasis in a great, vast void.🌎
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Our Mission

The mission of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for all people to enjoy outdoor recreation in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, enduring for future generations. We achieve this through long-term conservation relationships with private landowners and public agencies and owning and managing land. We are committed to creating and supporting equitable, healthy and thriving communities for everyone in our region.

Get in Touch

Email: sahc@appalachian.org

Phone: 828-253-0095
372 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801

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